The Teach Me How To Cook Thread

[Cormacaroni]

pork roast might be good. Roast some apples in the juices!

[Brehvolution]

I like spicy hams for xmas like prosciutto, salamis, and if I can find some....culatello. Cheese stuffed pepperoncinis and garlic stuffed olives round out my ideal xmas fare. Don't forget the good cheeses.

edit: almost forgot the sopressata. I love that stuff.

[Smooth Groove]

Spanish ham, especially Jamon iberico, is so good.  It's kinda expensive though. 

[tiesto]

at the Paleo diet being a 'fad' - it's what human beings ate for 99.999999% of their existence on the planet. I realize it seems like a billion other fads, but it's really not.

I've seen a few pickup artists start talking about the Paleo diet on their blogs lately. Sounds like a diet I'd be game for, but then I remembered I'm Italian and can't live without pasta

[Mr. Gundam]

Any suggestions for an awesome Christmas dinner for two? No turkey, we're doing that with the family on the 26th.

[Mr. Gundam]

We were thinking about doing a roast, but my wife doesn't care for pork (utter blasphemy if you ask me!).

[TEEEPO]

is it wrong that i know what jamon iberico was from this video?

[youtube=560,345]HbGgzGxBQDw[/youtube]


looks so good.

[Smooth Groove]

Hmmmm.  I'm doing a goose this year, but that is still too much food.  Lemme think on it.  I like Cormac's pork roast idea.  You could braise it in cider.

Goose is surprisingly not gamey.  Where can you buy one? 

[Mr. Gundam]

I'm sure a local farmer's market or independent butcher shop could hook you up. Whole Foods can also get them for you.

[Smooth Groove]

Cool.  I'll let my uncle know.  He's a really good cook and is usually in charge of family meals. 

[Cormacaroni]

at the Paleo diet being a 'fad' - it's what human beings ate for 99.999999% of their existence on the planet. I realize it seems like a billion other fads, but it's really not.

I've seen a few pickup artists start talking about the Paleo diet on their blogs lately. Sounds like a diet I'd be game for, but then I remembered I'm Italian and can't live without pasta

I used to love pasta too (it was probably what most of my dinners were built around), but now it just tastes like mush to me. Try eating a plate of plain boiled pasta sometime and tell me how far you get! Ditto for rice. The nasty truth is that pasta is just cheap filler because most folks can't afford to eat exclusively the stuff that tastes good and is nutritious. We have learned how to build all our meals around it, but once you remove that crutch, you find it is incredibly easy to make the same stuff without the stodge.

[Cormacaroni]

Everyone in Japan eats plain rice...on the side. Try doing it by itself. Food is generally rated in Japan by the degree to which it enables one to choke down rice　(for J-Bore, I'm referring to the concept of ご飯がすすむ）. Everyone professes to love rice, but in reality they can't eat much of it without something else that actually tastes of something.

Bread I deliberately excluded from the above - it does taste good, especially if you bake yourself (which, as you know, I did for years and loved). It's hard at times but seriously, try quitting it and you'll notice a difference when you go back to it. I feel horrible when I eat it now. I don't want to make you guys do something you don't want to do, but it IS ridiculous to say you can't live without these things. Yes, you can - and you'll feel better for it and still be able to eat delicious things to your heart's content.

[CrystalGemini]

Rice makes me want to throw up.  I ate two (pieces) of a sushi roll on Sunday and felt like gagging the whole of Monday.  I can taste the rice aftertaste in my mouth - I needed to brush my teeth several times to get it out.  Mouthwash and all.

Same with pasta and bread though to a lesser extent.  And it depends on what kind of bread/pasta/noodle.

[Cormacaroni]

Sashimi >>>> Sushi

also CrystalGemini

[Rman]

Made some prime rib roast recently.  Turned out awesome.  Will probably make two more before New's Years.

[Cormacaroni]

sounds hot. I made a variation on your Thai curry last night, with beef, onions and broccoli, heavy on the spice. I did it in a pressure cooker prior to adding the coconut milk so the beef was forkable. The broccoli was a last-second impulse, just to thicken it up.

[TEEEPO]

Everyone in Japan eats plain rice...on the side. Try doing it by itself. Food is generally rated in Japan by the degree to which it enables one to choke down rice　(for J-Bore, I'm referring to the concept of ご飯がすすむ）. Everyone professes to love rice, but in reality they can't eat much of it without something else that actually tastes of something.

it's pretty much the same in iranian culture. much of our stews and meats are meant to be accompanied by an extremely large serving of rice, but because of the amount of it we consume, it's literally like drinking water to us. it took me awhile to even learn how to eat a meal without it. but to prove a point, me and my cousins have raided our kitchens plenty of times and even with plenty available, it's not surprising if we'd choose to eat a plain bowl of rice, even when sumac and other spices are readily available.

fresh rice
tah-deeg

[brawndolicious]

Everyone in Japan eats plain rice...on the side. Try doing it by itself. Food is generally rated in Japan by the degree to which it enables one to choke down rice　(for J-Bore, I'm referring to the concept of ご飯がすすむ）. Everyone professes to love rice, but in reality they can't eat much of it without something else that actually tastes of something.

it's pretty much the same in iranian culture. much of our stews and meats are meant to be accompanied by an extremely large serving of rice, but because of the amount of it we consume, it's literally like drinking water to us. it took me awhile to even learn how to eat a meal without it. but to prove a point, me and my cousins have raided our kitchens plenty of times and even with plenty available, it's not surprising if we'd choose to eat a plain bowl of rice, even when sumac and other spices are readily available.

fresh rice
tah-deeg

yeah but Iranian/middle eastern rice has much more flavor imo.  It just might be the way east asians prepare their rice by making it much more moist though.

[Cormacaroni]

Alright then, raise the stakes - do it every dinner time for a week.

[TEEEPO]

it's on

[Smooth Groove]

I'm not sure if I agree that pasta or rice are unnecessary in terms of taste.  Curry, for example, would be overwhelming without rice.  Same thing with meat sauce or Alfredo sauce. 

Ramen is another major example.  Most Japs serve ramen with only two pieces of meat and half an egg so you're obviously mostly eating it for the noodles.  I've never tried it but ramen soup minus the ramen would probably be disgusting. 

[Cormacaroni]

Why speculate when you can just try it! I eat curry without rice all the time.

If you find it overwhelming, adjust the spice etc, or add more bland veggies. Or more MEAT You just have to know how to cook 

[Cormacaroni]

oh yeah, there is a lot of shit talked over here about how amazing ramen noodles can be - raging arguments about the optimum thickness and whatnot. It's all bollocks - N-O-B-O-D-Y eats the noodles minus at least some soup, no matter how much they profess to love the noodles. It's the equivalent of someone who only ever eats PB&J sandwiches saying they love bread. Well, how do you know if it's always overwhelmed by something else?

[Smooth Groove]

I actually had a college friend who'd always wash the oil away from instant ramen and ate it without any seasonings. 

He was an aspiring bodybuilder with impressive washboard abs but I would never want to live like him. 

[CrystalGemini]

oh yeah, there is a lot of shit talked over here about how amazing ramen noodles can be - raging arguments about the optimum thickness and whatnot. It's all bollocks - N-O-B-O-D-Y eats the noodles minus at least some soup, no matter how much they profess to love the noodles. It's the equivalent of someone who only ever eats PB&J sandwiches saying they love bread. Well, how do you know if it's always overwhelmed by something else?

I GIVE YOU..... Indomie Mie Goreng!  Brothless ramen.  (But I do get what you're saying - eating ramen noodles plain sucks balls.)

[Cormacaroni]

Oh yeah, there is all sorts of crap like yaki soba here too. Fried noodles covered in MSG and soy sauce, basically.  But it's on the same lines as Cohen's garlic 'n olive oil spaghetti. All the flavor is being added later. That pic looks like its flavored heavily enough that you could put that shit on cardboard and choke it down if you had to. And all it really is is soup that has been reduced down. Add hot water, and it would be back to being ramen or whatever again.

[CrystalGemini]

Agreed.  The only thing I really didn't like about Ethiopian food was how eating it relied so much on using/eating the injera.  I ended up using the serving spoon as a utensil (I know you're not supposed to). :X 

I do feel it's more a matter of personal preference though - rodi loves plain rice.  That makes it convenient when we eat out though - I eat all the meat/veggies, she eats the starches.  No waste! 

[Cormacaroni]

Well, there are a few things to take into consideration, taste preference and health. I still enjoy bread, say, but it has to be really really good bread (like Cohen bakes!) to make me bother, because I know it'll make me feel like crap now. Much in the same way that I have to be in a very compelling social situation to drink enough to give me a serious hangover. Neither are cast iron rules, because (as everyone is quick to remind me), life is too fuckin' short already. To which I typically retort, why go out of your way to make it SHORTER then, but I am sympathetic to it on a gut level.

It's my considered opinion that regardless of your taste preference, all this crap (bread, rice, pasta, sugar, food additives, booze) is bad for you and you should keep your consumption of it as low as possible. It'll be really interesting to compare your health to that of Rodi's in a couple of decades.

[BlueTsunami]

Just ate half of another ridonculous sub...

The Chickaloni

Marinated Grilled Chicken, savory Pepperoni, melted Provolone Cheese & fresh Tomato Sauce

The pepperoni and tomato sauce almost makes it taste like you're eating a rolled up pizza but the provolone and marinated chicken pull you in a different direction. Its so damn good.

[Brehvolution]

Damn you BT! Now I'm hungry again.

[Mupepe]

YOU FUCKING PRICK

I had spaghetti for lunch with canned sauce.  I mean it was okay, but now I'm just thinking what could have been.

[BlueTsunami]

I'll probably do some sort of Tory's expose and amass pictures of all their wonderful chicken subs

They also sell awesome burritos and quesadillas (the normal size is half a large pizza)

[Mupepe]

Please do

[Smooth Groove]

Here's my lunch, a real man's meal.  I'm sure Cormacaroni will disapprove.

[Mupepe]

holy.fucking.shit

from where?

[Smooth Groove]

Johnny Rocket's.  The chef there is really great.  He always makes it just like I ordered. 

[Mupepe]

There is one about 2 miles from me.  I think I know where I'm going this weekend.

[Rman]

Doing Prime Rib number 2 this weekend.  Buying it tomorrow and presalting for 2 days.

[Mr. Gundam]

Christmas dinner has been decided:

Rib roast. Roasted brussel sprouts and Jerusalem artichokes. Homemade bread. Going to make a pie of some sort for dessert.

[demi]

Could do without the onions but that meal looks amazing Smooth. Real man's food.

[CrystalGemini]

Roasted bone marrow 

So bad yet SOOOOO GOOOD.

[Phoenix Dark]

Had a bison burger yesterday at Carson's. It smelled so good, but when I first bit into it I was shocked it didn't explode in my mouth with taste. It was good, but disappointing.

[Mr. Gundam]

Spread that on a baguette with some sea salt 

[Smooth Groove]

What does marrow taste like?  I've always thought it looked kinda gross although I've tried tendons before and liked it. 

[Mr. Gundam]

Really fatty butter with a hint of meat. It's an acquired taste, and I'm amazed that I like it considering my textures issues with certain foods.

[Cormacaroni]

Marrow looks great. And so healthy!

I had this last night at our local izakaya, which specializes in fresh grilled fish: Tuna baked in a clay urn

[Mr. Gundam]

Christmas dinner is coming together. Picked up a beef roast and Jerusalem artichokes at the farmer's market today. Will get the rest of the stuff later in the week.

[Bebpo]

First time posting in here.  I don't cook enough so I decided to start cooking more.  Went and got some fresh shrimps, tore 'em open, ripped their guts out and cooked them up with some lemon, salt, pepper along with veggies to make a shrimp & veggie wrap for dinner.

[Rman]

Looks good, Bepbo.  Nice camera there. 

[Rman]

Christmas dinner has been decided:

Rib roast. Roasted brussel sprouts and Jerusalem artichokes. Homemade bread. Going to make a pie of some sort for dessert.

I can't recommend enough Cook's Illustrated Prime Rib recipe.  Let me know if you need it.

[Barry Egan]

cooks illustrated

[CrystalGemini]

Marrow looks great. And so healthy!

I had this last night at our local izakaya, which specializes in fresh grilled fish: Tuna baked in a clay urn

(Image removed from quote.)

OMG That looks so good!  I've never had a bad experience with any Japanese grilled fish.  Even etiolate (who hates fish usually) likes it.  Never had it cooked in a clay urn before.  Sounds delicious! :9

Had a dinner party at a friend's house today.  Made a curry crusted lamb w/ raspberry wine reduction and mint yogurt sauce and giant oyster mushroom "chips":

[Cormacaroni]

daaaamn, your friend knows how to cook.

The tuna was really interesting - the upper part was roast beef-like in texture and color, but the parts between the bones was basically steamed, tender and fatty. Really good. Their salmon is the bomb too. I basically stopped taking fish oil supplements because of this place. I just suck all the oil and fat off the bones of the fish and I'm good for days.

[Brehvolution]

Bebpo, is that Na'an?

[Bebpo]

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of tortillas unless they are freshly made so I use Na'an for a lot of things.

[CrystalGemini]

daaaamn, your friend knows how to cook.

The tuna was really interesting - the upper part was roast beef-like in texture and color, but the parts between the bones was basically steamed, tender and fatty. Really good. Their salmon is the bomb too. I basically stopped taking fish oil supplements because of this place. I just suck all the oil and fat off the bones of the fish and I'm good for days.

hahah  my friend was the only one that didn't cook!  Those were my dishes.  It was like a potluck but we all prepped and cooked at her house while she watched.   

[Brehvolution]

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of tortillas unless they are freshly made so I use Na'an for a lot of things.

The only reason I asked is that while I was reading your post, my son came in and pointed it out. It's an inside joke between us. One day at the grocery store, I pointed out the Na'an to him and told him the he loved it though I know he has never had it. He vehemently denies it every time. It just makes me laugh how mad he can get over the silliest things. 

[Mr. Gundam]

My wife is up in the kitchen making the following:

Momofuku Milk Bar's Blueberries & Cream Cookies
A quadruple batch of salted caramels
Chocolate malt cookie sandwiches with a white chocolate malt buttercream filling[/quote]

Time to get fat!!

[Rman]

The Momofuku cookies are amazing.  Enjoy.

[Mr. Gundam]

She made their Crack Pie for Thanksgiving. OMG.